The engineering design process

The engineering design process, also known as the engineering method, is a common series of
steps that engineers use in creating functional products and processes. The process is
highly iterative – parts of the process often need to be repeated many times before another can be
entered – though the part(s) that get iterated and the number of such cycles in any given project
may vary.
It is a decision making process (often iterative) in which the engineering sciences, basic sciences
and mathematics are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective. Among
the fundamental elements of the design process are the establishment of objectives and criteria,
synthesis, analysis, construction, testing and evaluation.[1]
Common stages of the engineering design process

It's important to understand that there are various framings/articulations of the engineering
design process. Different terminology employed may have varying degrees of overlap, which
affects what steps get stated explicitly or deemed "high level" versus subordinate in any given
model. This, of course, applies as much to any particular example steps/sequences given here.
One example framing of the engineering design process delineates the following
stages: research, conceptualization, feasibility assessment, establishing design requirements,
preliminary design, detailed design, production planning and tool design, and production.
[2]
Others, noting that "different authors (in both research literature and in textbooks) define
different phases of the design process with varying activities occurring within them," have
suggested more simplified/generalized models – such as problem definition, conceptual design,
preliminary design, detailed design, and design communication.[3] Another summary of the
process, from European engineering design literature, includes clarification of the task,
conceptual design, embodiment design, detail design.[4] (NOTE: In these examples, other key
aspects – such as concept evaluation and prototyping – are subsets and/or extensions of one or
more of the listed steps.)
Research

Various stages of the design process (and even earlier) can involve a significant amount of time
spent on locating information and research.[5] Consideration should be given to the existing
applicable literature, problems and successes associated with existing solutions, costs, and
marketplace needs.[5]
The source of information should be relevant. Reverse engineering can be an effective technique
if other solutions are available on the market.[5] Other sources of information include the Internet,
local libraries, available government documents, personal organizations, trade journals, vendor
catalogs and individual experts available.[5]
Design requirements

Establishing design requirements and conducting requirement analysis, sometimes

termed problem definition (or deemed a related activity), is one of the most important elements
 in the design process[6] in certain industries, and this task is often performed at the same time as a
feasibility analysis. The design requirements control the design of the product or process being
developed, throughout the engineering design process. These include basic things like the
functions, attributes, and specifications – determined after assessing user needs. Some design
requirements include hardware and software parameters, maintainability, availability,
and testability.[2]
Feasibility

In some cases, a feasibility study is carried out after which schedules, resource plans and
estimates for the next phase are developed. The feasibility study is an evaluation and analysis of
the potential of a proposed project to support the process of decision making. It outlines and
analyses alternatives or methods of achieving the desired outcome. The feasibility study helps to
narrow the scope of the project to identify the best scenario. A feasibility report is generated
following which Post Feasibility Review is performed.
The purpose of a feasibility assessment is to determine whether the engineer's project can
proceed into the design phase. This is based on two criteria: the project needs to be based on an
achievable idea, and it needs to be within cost constraints. It is important to have engineers with
experience and good judgment to be involved in this portion of the feasibility study.[2]
Concept generation

A concept study (conceptualization, conceptual design) is often a phase of project planning that
includes producing ideas and taking into account the pros and cons of implementing those ideas.
This stage of a project is done to minimize the likelihood of error, manage costs, assess risks, and
evaluate the potential success of the intended project. In any event, once an engineering issue or
problem is defined, potential solutions must be identified. These solutions can be found by
using ideation, the mental process by which ideas are generated. In fact, this step is often
termed Ideation or "Concept Generation." The following are widely used techniques:[2]

 trigger word – a word or phrase associated with the issue at hand is stated, and subsequent words and
phrases are evoked.
 morphological analysis – independent design characteristics are listed in a chart, and different
engineering solutions are proposed for each solution. Normally, a preliminary sketch and short report
accompany the morphological chart.
 synectics – the engineer imagines him or herself as the item and asks, "What would I do if I were the
system?" This unconventional method of thinking may find a solution to the problem at hand. The vital
aspects of the conceptualization step is synthesis. Synthesis is the process of taking the element of the
concept and arranging them in the proper way. Synthesis creative process is present in every design.
 brainstorming – this popular method involves thinking of different ideas, typically as part of a small
group, and adopting these ideas in some form as a solution to the problem

Various generated ideas must then undergo a concept evaluation step, which utilizes various
tools to compare and contrast the relative strengths and weakness of possible alternatives.
Preliminary design

The preliminary design, or high-level design includes (also called FEED or Basic design), often
bridges a gap between design conception and detailed design, particularly in cases where the
level of conceptualization achieved during ideation is not sufficient for full evaluation. So in this
task, the overall system configuration is defined, and schematics, diagrams, and layouts of the
project may provide early project configuration. (This notably varies a lot by field, industry, and
product.) During detailed design and optimization, the parameters of the part being created will
change, but the preliminary design focuses on creating the general framework to build the project
on.[2]
S. Blanchard and J. Fabrycky describe it as: “The ‘whats’ initiating conceptual design produce
‘hows’ from the conceptual design evaluation effort applied to feasible conceptual design
concepts. Next, the ‘hows’ are taken into preliminary design through the means of allocated
requirements. There they become ‘whats’ and drive preliminary design to address ‘hows’ at this
lower level.”
Detailed design

Following FEED is the Detailed Design (Detailed Engineering) phase, which may consist
of procurement of materials as well. This phase further elaborates each aspect of the
project/product by complete description through solid modeling, drawings as well
as specifications.
Computer-aided design (CAD) programs have made the detailed design phase more efficient.
For example, a CAD program can provide optimization to reduce volume without hindering a
part's quality. It can also calculate stress and displacement using the finite element method to
determine stresses throughout the part.[7]
Production planning

The production planning and tool design consists of planning how to mass-produce the product
and which tools should be used in the manufacturing process. Tasks to complete in this step
include selecting materials, selection of the production processes, determination of the sequence
of operations, and selection of tools such as jigs, fixtures, metal cutting and metal or plastics
forming tools. This task also involves additional prototype testing iterations to ensure the mass-
produced version meets qualification testing standards.[2]
Comparison with the scientific method

Engineering is formulating a problem that can be solved through design. Science is formulating a
question that can be solved through investigation. The engineering design process bears some
similarity to the scientific method.[8] Both processes begin with existing knowledge, and
gradually become more specific in the search for knowledge (in the case of "pure" or basic
science) or a solution (in the case of "applied" science, such as engineering). The key difference
between the engineering process and the scientific process is that the engineering process focuses
 on design, creativity and innovation while the scientific process emphasizes explanation,
prediction and discovery (observation).
Degree programs

Methods are being taught and developed in Universities including:

 Engineering Design,[9] University of Bristol Faculty of Engineering

 Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London
 TU Delft, Industrial Design Engineering.
 University of Waterloo, Systems Design Engineering

 Applied science
 Computer-automated design
 Design engineer
 Engineering analysis
 Engineering optimization
 New product development
 Systems engineering process
 Surrogate model
 Traditional engineering

References

1. ^ "Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2019 – 2020". ABET. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f Ertas, A. & Jones, J. (1996). The Engineering Design Process. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
3. ^ Dym, C.L. & Little, P. (2009). Engineering Design. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
4. ^ Pahl, G. & Beitz, W. (1988). Engineering Design: a systematic approach. London, UK, The Design
Council.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b c d A.Eide, R.Jenison, L.Mashaw, L.Northup. Engineering: Fundamentals and Problem
Solving. New York City: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.,2002
6. ^ Ralph, P., and Wand, Y. A Proposal for a Formal Definition of the Design Concept. In, Lyytinen, K.,
Loucopoulos, P., Mylopoulos, J., and Robinson, W., (eds.), Design Requirements Engineering: A Ten-Year
Perspective: Springer-Verlag, 2009, pp. 103–136.
7. ^ Widas, P. (1997, April 9). Introduction to finite element analysis. Retrieved from "Introduction to Finite
Element Analysis". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
8. ^ Dieter, George; Schmidt, Linda (2007). Engineering Design. McGraw-Hill. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-07-283703-
2.
9. ^ Bristol, University of. "Engineering Design | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol". www.bristol.ac.uk.
Retrieved 2021-06-07.

Applied research usually has specific commercial objectives related to products, procedures, or
services.[6] The comparison of pure research and applied research provides a basic framework and
direction for businesses to follow.[7]
Applied research deals with solving practical problems[8] and generally
employs empirical methodologies. Because applied research resides in the messy real world,
strict research protocols may need to be relaxed. For example, it may be impossible to use
a random sample. Thus, transparency in the methodology is crucial. Implications for the
interpretation of results brought about by relaxing an otherwise strict canon of methodology
should also be considered.[9]
Moreover, this type of research method applies natural sciences to human conditions:[10]

 Action research: aids firms in identifying workable solutions to issues influencing them.
 Evaluation research: researchers examine available data to assist clients in making wise judgments.
 Industrial research: create new goods/services that will satisfy the demands of a target market.
(Industrial development would be scaling up production of the new goods/services for mass
consumption to satisfy the economic demand of the customers while maximizing the ratio of the
good/service output rate to resource input rate, the ratio of good/service revenue to material & energy
costs, and the good/service quality. Industrial development would be considered engineering. Industrial
development would fall outside the scope of applied research.)

Since applied research has a provisional close-to-the-problem and close-to-the-data orientation, it

may also use a more provisional conceptual framework, such as working hypotheses or pillar
questions.[11][12] The OECD's Frascati Manual[13] describes applied research as one of the three
forms of research, along with basic research & experimental development.[14]
Due to its practical focus, applied research information will be found in the literature associated
with individual disciplines.[15]
Branches

For a topical guide, see Outline of applied science § Branches of applied science.

Applied research is a method of problem-solving and is also practical in areas of science, such as
its presence in applied psychology. Applied psychology uses human behavior to grab
information to locate a main focus in an area that can contribute to finding a resolution. [16] More
specifically, this study is applied in the area of criminal psychology. With the knowledge
obtained from applied research, studies are conducted on criminals alongside their behavior to
apprehend them.[17] Moreover, the research extends to criminal investigations. Under this
category, research methods demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and social
research designs used in criminological research. These reach more branches along the procedure
towards the investigations, alongside laws, policy, and criminological theory.[citation needed]
Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design
process to solve technical problems, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve systems.
The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more specialized fields of
engineering, each with a more specific emphasis on particular areas of applied mathematics,
applied science, and types of application. Engineering is often characterized as having four main
branches: chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical
engineering. Some scientific subfields used by engineers include thermodynamics, heat
transfer, fluid mechanics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of
materials, kinematics, electromagnetism, materials science, earth sciences, and engineering
physics.[citation needed]
Medical sciences, such as medical microbiology, pharmaceutical research, and clinical virology,
are applied sciences that apply biology and chemistry to medicine.
In education

In Canada, the Netherlands, and other places, the Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) is
sometimes equivalent to the Bachelor of Engineering and is classified as a professional degree.
This is based on the age of the school where applied science used to include boiler making,
surveying, and engineering. There are also Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in Child
Studies. The BASc tends to focus more on the application of the engineering sciences. In
Australia and New Zealand, this degree is awarded in various fields of study and is considered a
highly specialized professional degree.[citation needed]
In the United Kingdom's educational system, Applied Science refers to a suite of "vocational"
science qualifications that run alongside "traditional" General Certificate of Secondary
Education or A-Level Sciences.[18] Applied Science courses generally contain more coursework
(also known as portfolio or internally assessed work) compared to their traditional counterparts.
These are an evolution of the GNVQ qualifications offered up to 2005. These courses regularly
come under scrutiny and are due for review following the Wolf Report 2011;[19] however, their
merits are argued elsewhere.[20]
In the United States, The College of William & Mary offers an undergraduate minor as well
as Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in "applied science". Courses and
research cover varied fields, including neuroscience, optics, materials science and
engineering, nondestructive testing, and nuclear magnetic resonance.[21] University of Nebraska–
Lincoln offers a Bachelor of Science in applied science, an online completion Bachelor of
Science in applied science, and a Master of Applied Science. Coursework is centered on science,
agriculture, and natural resources with a wide range of options, including ecology, food genetics,
entrepreneurship, economics, policy, animal science, and plant science.[22] In New York City, the
Bloomberg administration awarded the consortium of Cornell-Technion $100 million in City
capital to construct the universities' proposed Applied Sciences campus on Roosevelt Island.[23]